Theophany’s Mandate

The Baptism of Christ, Public Engagement, and Contemporary Orthodox Mission

DEACON NICHOLAS DENYSENKO

One of the highlights of the winter feasts in Orthodoxy is the Blessing of Waters on Theophany. Distinct from Epiphany in the Western Christian tradition, Theophany is an invitation to participate in Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan. This ancient Christian tradition is all about receiving the anointing of the Holy Spirit. 

The Lord Jesus is among those who responds to the call of John the Baptist and goes to the Jordan to receive a Baptism for the remission of sins (Mk. 1:9). Jesus’ baptism is, of course, extraordinary. The Church uses language of awe and wonder at the paradox of the Creator of all receiving baptism from the hand of one of His created children. The baptism of Christ is a celebration of the renewal of humankind, the restoration of the image of God in all who partake of the blessed waters. Those who receive the water, partake of it, and anoint themselves with it have the image of God renewed in them. This mighty act of God performed for us—now as then—is a source of marvel and thanksgiving. It is also not the end, but rather the beginning of a ministry, and appointment to be the body of Christ. 

The biblical narrative of Jesus’ baptism does not end with the hearer marveling at God’s condescension, awesome as it is. The evangelists tell us that the One whom the Holy Spirit revealed as the Son of God is then led by the Spirit into the wilderness (Mk. 1:12), where He fasts for forty days and overcomes the temptation of the evil one. 

Naturally, our own participation in Christ’s baptism leads us to follow the Spirit into our own wilderness. The Spirit’s descent upon us capacitates us to withdraw into the wilderness where we converse with God in prayer and learn how to renounce evil and refrain from partaking of its vices. This process of rehearsal—dependence upon God, renouncing evil, and refraining from partaking of its vices—is a central dimension of Christian living. No Christian ever perfects this art—one seeks to make it part of one’s habit through constant rehearsal, out of love and thanksgiving for God. 

Certainly, prayer, fasting, and the renunciation of evil sound quite familiar to us, as does the metaphor of sojourning in the wilderness. It sounds like Lent, when we quiet the soul by slowing down, praying more often, living more simply, and refraining from sin. One challenge posed to us concerns the notion of withdrawal. A particular spiritual school would appeal to Christians to remain withdrawn from the world, reducing exposure to temptation and preventing distraction from the quietness of soul necessary for prayer. Another school of thought would send Christians into the world, to partake of the sacrament of the brother and sister, and in so doing, to love God. 

The evangelists tell us that this is not an either/or scenario. Jesus does not remain in the wilderness, but goes into the villages, and encounters the people in their homes and in public spaces. Jesus teaches His disciples and then sends them into the villages to announce the coming of God’s Kingdom and to restore the people from the afflictions of life and death: healing the sick, casting out demons, and raising the dead (Mt. 10:1). Jesus’ own example illustrates a pattern of withdrawal for vigilant prayer followed by going out among the people, teaching and praying in the synagogues, and conversing with lawyers, teachers, scribes, and Pharisees in public spaces. Jesus invites His disciples to join Him in vigilant, ceaseless prayer, modeling for them the necessity of withdrawal, and the equal necessity of providing God’s ministry to the people (Mt. 6:6). 

The pattern of the Lord’s ministry, and of apostolic ministry by definition, includes both withdrawal and direct engagement with the people, regardless of the severity of their sins or hypocrisy. The apostolic ministry does not include a renunciation of public engagement—it depends on the recurring pattern of withdrawal for intense prayer and vigil. To put it simply, one must be in constant dialogue with God to be God’s Body when witnessing to His Kingdom in the public sphere. 

The pattern can include one additional step: rejection by the public. One does not abandon the cross of rejection while representing God in the public sphere. The Christian community is to see this ministry through to its end, even if it is inglorious (Mt. 10:22). Receiving that anointing at Baptism and renewing it every year on Theophany requires the disciple to be willing to carry the cross without abandoning the ministry of preaching, healing, renouncing evil, and raising the dead. 

The Incarnation feasts, and Theophany in particular, then, establish this pattern of appointment, intense vigil and prayer, and ministry to and with the public. A reader might ask what, if anything, is new here?

The pattern of anointing and apostolic ministry provides an opportunity for self-reflection on the mission of the Church in the twenty-first century. The culture of contemporary North America is evolving rapidly. Demographic shifts represent the mobility of the workforce. People born and raised in a native parish often leave their hometown and are unlikely to return. They may move several times in their lives without establishing roots in a particular parish. Parishes with legacies of multiple generations can no longer depend on family members remaining in the Church. We are also familiar with the phenomenon of “nones and dones.” Some of the baptized leave the Church and do not return. Others remain on the periphery of the Church, but participate only rarely. 

As Orthodoxy began to adopt English for the Liturgy in the mid-to-late twentieth century, some people raised in other churches became Orthodox. Initially, most of those converts were introduced to the Church through marriage, but now many others have become Orthodox on their own. In the same general period, Orthodoxy tended to define itself through comparison to other Christian churches. We explain who we are by pointing out similarities and differences with other Christian communities. There is no doubt that the North American Orthodox Church appealed to disaffected Christians of other churches through a confessional model. In our parishes, seekers have found elements of the Christian tradition that seem to be missing elsewhere, such as icons, ornate liturgical rituals, and the high Christology of Greek patristic thought.

Presently, people looking for a church are less interested in confessional comparisons. Today’s seekers remain interested in the fundamentals that have always attracted non-Christians, especially a strong biblical tradition. More than anything else, seekers are looking for a sense of belonging to a community, a church that values service and fellowship as much as articles of faith. The desire for community is particularly needful during this age of political and cultural polarization and the isolation caused by the pandemic. 

The pattern of Jesus’ ministry of vigorous engagement complemented by withdrawal functions as an essential instrument of the Church’s mission toolbox for the twenty-first century. The Orthodox Church that adopts this pattern remains committed to the practices of vigil, prayer, and occasional withdrawal for intimate time with God. 

The Church does not remain withdrawn, however. Just as the Spirit led Jesus out of the wilderness and into the villages and cities—to be among the people—the Spirit leads us into our neighborhoods, schools, and workplaces to be among all of the people. The Spirit leads us to interact with people who differ from us culturally, politically, and religiously, just as the Spirit led Jesus to harlots, tax collectors, lawyers, and people who were not of the house of Israel. 

The mission is to be God’s body to whomever God sends us, and not only when we are within the safe haven of our parish buildings. The mission is to be a good neighbor and citizen by limitless serving of those in need—even if they never express interest in becoming Orthodox or coming for Divine Liturgy. The mission is to engage everyone with the patience and long-suffering of Christ, even if we suffer as a result of the encounters. After they were anointed and filled with the Holy Spirit, Christ and His apostles ministered to all. They remained themselves throughout their service. This is what it means to be anointed and sent, just as Jesus was anointed and sent. 

Theophany, then, confirms the deep reverence the Church has for the practices of withdrawal, vigil, prayer, and engagement of the people. The challenges posed to Orthodox Christians today are daunting. The message from God has not changed: Follow the Spirit into the wilderness to be nourished by God, and then go into the world to be God’s body.     

Rev. Dr. Deacon Nicholas Denysenko is the Emil & Elfriede Jochum University Chair and professor of theology at Valparaiso University. He is a deacon in the Diocese of the Midwest.